POWer PACKed prayers

The prayers of a child are incredibly powerful. How do I know? I’ve experienced them.

A few weeks ago–during Spring-Break, we had some grandson visitors. I LOVE that. Time with them, I may collapse at the end…but I LOVE that time with them. And the wisdom crafted with hilarity- beats any TV show you could think up.

One of those spectacular days I over did it. If you are uhm….let’s see…over the age of 50, you may know what I mean. Anyway, the guys and I were on the back porch enjoying a mid-morning snack and I started to get up, and “clinch”–my back refused to do it. I grimaced, and if I remember right, I think I even hollered. Yow! Or, something like that.

“What’s the matter Nana”? One of them rushed to my side–wow! I sat back down from a half-stand. “Well, Nana has hurt her back”…. I sucked in my breath–leaned way over to try and stretch to see if maybe that was it. I tried getting back up…nope. Not happening.

“Hey boys, Nana needs you to pray for her”.

They immediately came to my side–laid their hands on me–and began to pray. Well, let me pause and tell you that I asked them to pray out loud. One of them said, “we are gonna pray in our head”, to which they all agreed–and I said “okay, God can hear you”….and I knew that…I just always love to hear them pray.

So they prayed. Kept their hands on my back and my arm while they prayed and then–simultaneously–they removed their hands and we all sat up.

“Well? How do you feel?” I love the instant expectations of children. They look for results. Why don’t we? I think our “reasoning” takes over. We reason it out before we say “amen”. We give God an “out” just in case He’s busy. Not these guys. Their mom demonstrates prayer with them. Praying was not strange to them.

I sat up straight. Put my hands on both arms of the chair–and stood up. Tenderly–slowly…but wow. I walked to the end of the porch–turned to them and smiled-and raised my hands and started praising God! He HEALED me! I told the boys to thank God with me–and we went about our day. We talked about it again later–and they thanked God later….and so did I. And for the power packed prayers of these kids.

This past Sunday Jeff and I were at Freedom Church in Tallahassee, Florida. It was an incredible day–with some amazing people–and children. Wow--the kids just blew me away. Jeff and I talked about them on the way home.

This is a small window into our visit: Once Jeff completed his portion in the main service (x2), we went to the children’s department. Children’s Pastor Perry Dissmore, had us wait in the hall so that the kids could “prepare” for us...

Little did we know but our emotions were about to be hijacked. Those kids yelled and screamed and waved flags and applauded–all because to them –we are superheros.

I wanted to cry! We don’t consider ourselves anything of the sort–but with what we are doing–to those little friends–we are superheros. But not to us…we are just obedient. Pastor Brad Nester made a sticky statement that morning: “You can only control your obedience… God takes care of the rest.” Is that why we aren’t obedient “sooner”? Because we want to control it all…and the outcome? Well, we can’t. We just have to trust God–and obey.

Before we left their area, Pastor Perry had the children gather around us and lay hands on us and pray. Okay. Stop right here and let me grab a Kleenex or paper towel- or something because I am going to cry and type.

As these “little friends” circled us–it felt like they were surrounding us with armor. No joke. I could almost hear the clanking of their warrior armor and swords. One by one–we felt little hands gently press onto our back or shoulder or arms…and heard the most precious words– three sentences I wrote down as quick as I could so I wouldn’t forget:

“Lord, help them get there quick”;

“God, send them the money they need so that all the kids they see will get a bible”;

And the last one–that made the most impression on me: “Help them have the faith to keep going.”

The faith to keep going.

When I first thought of that–I will be transparent–I thought, “that must mean some knock-out punches are on the way”…. I smile because–think about this: When is a knock-out punch NOT on the way? Really. Jeff and I recently discussed how every pastor and minister who is doing what God has called them to do with all their might–MUST be under the gun every – single – Saturday! The day before they launch what God has laid on them! But truthfully, we must all know that as long as we are breathing–and as long as we are serving God–there will be punches thrown...but guess what…Christ ALREADY prayed the prayer of faith for us to KEEP ON GOING!

Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. John 17:11 NLT

Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. John 17:18-21 NLT

When those little friends prayed–they prayed the will of God over us. Out of all the voices praying–those three stuck in my head. We are forever changed by that morning. Pastors Larry Perry, Brad Nester and Perry Dissmore are changing the world from the pulpit that God has called them to. Those children (and adults) are being equipped weekly with the Word–prayer and mighty vision to win the lost…at any cost. I wish you could have been there–I wish I had recorded the prayers. But I think the one God wanted me to remember was embedded in my heart.

POWer PACKed prayers of children are just that because of their willingness to believe without doubting. They know and trust in God.

2 responses to “POWer PACKed prayers”

[…] Believe me–I’ve cried some since then–there was the scary things in the hospital that I’ve already told you about, there was the emotional feelings when the bandages were removed…there was the fear and feeling of weakness, insecurities of all kinds, but then, on top of all of that, there has been love. Tons of it. From friends, family and most of all, from my Abba Father. God has simply amazed me. […]

[…] Believe me–I’ve cried some since then–there was the scary things in the hospital that I’ve already told you about, there was the emotional feelings when the bandages were removed…there was the fear and feeling of weakness, insecurities of all kinds, but then, on top of all of that, there has been love. Tons of it. From friends, family and most of all, from my Abba Father. God has simply amazed me. […]